Auditor General commissions forensic laboratory to combat financial crimes
PHILIP CLEMENT, ABUJA
The fight against financial crimes in Nigeria yesterday received a boost with the commissioning of a forensic laboratory in Abuja by the Auditor General of the Federation.
Speaking at the event the Auditor General of the Federation, Adolphus Aghughu, said forensic auditing would also help in the prosecution of financial crimes as it would provide the needed evidences that is admissible by law.
While describing the forensic laboratory as been long overdue, he disclosed that the project has been on since 2017 and was delayed due to lack of funds for its implementation.
He disclosed that this office has also completed the training of the first batch of forensic auditors that would be at the forefront of the fight.
“Our vision is been realised today. The budgetary allocation for this very this financial forensic laboratory was put together 2017, to be effective 2018. The three years put together,we could only gather maximum of N74 million.
“Up till 2020, we could not conclude the procurement. In 2021, we were able to conclude the procurement and fulfilled the dream of this office, to have a forensic laboratory.
“We are not just having the forensic laboratory, we have trained 21 forensic auditors that will in the next one week in the field, to carryout a minimum of five forensic audits in MDAs in this country.
“The trend today is that even when you have done the normal auditing, when you want to get an evidence that can stand court prosecution, you’ll look Inthe direction of forensic auditing.
“It is not just about the audit evidence for the National Assembly, it is equally evidence that could be gathered and table for prosecution of culprits.”
He disclosed that his office originally planned to train only five persons due to paucity of funds but after receiving over 40 expression of interest, it had no other option than to increase the number of trainees to 21.
Furthermore, Aghughu noted that subsequent batches would be trained to cover the existing gaps in the country.
He also said that the auditors trained will not be limited in anyway, as they are well equipped to work both physically and virtually.
